Dark Souls: Initial Thoughts

[AlternatePFG]

I beat the Capra Demon after a few tries, but that fight was just bullshit. The difficulty in that fight was the combination of the stun-lock inducing dogs, terrible camera angles and really tight corridors. I don't mind difficult fights, but that just really wasn't fair.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I beat the Capra Demon after a few tries, but that fight was just bullshit. The difficulty in that fight was the combination of the stun-lock inducing dogs, terrible camera angles and really tight corridors. I don't mind difficult fights, but that just really wasn't fair.

I thought that it was the other way around. The Capra Demon's pathfinding is terrible. If you can get up the stairs and kill the dogs, the fight is over. The demon will try to follow you--then fall. Do a plunging attack. And just repeat that.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I beat the Capra Demon after a few tries, but that fight was just bullshit. The difficulty in that fight was the combination of the stun-lock inducing dogs, terrible camera angles and really tight corridors. I don't mind difficult fights, but that just really wasn't fair.

I thought that it was the other way around. The Capra Demon's pathfinding is terrible. If you can get up the stairs and kill the dogs, the fight is over. The demon will try to follow you--then fall. Do a plunging attack. And just repeat that.

See, his pathfinding for me was pretty decent. Most of the time he'd get up the stairs, and there would be like a 50/50 chance of him doing that jumping downward slash attack that'd go through all my stamina and half my health if blocked. Eventually, I had to tank him on the ground and just slowly pick away at him, I only risked trying a plunging attack if I went upstairs to heal. Either way, I didn't find it to be very fun of a fight.

The Gargoyle fight just before that, on the other hand, I really liked. Gives you plenty of room to maneuver.

 

[Dansen]

Anybody know how to deal with ghosts?

 

[Aeonknight]

Anybody know how to deal with ghosts?

There's an item that gives you a sort of "temporary curse" that lets you actually deal dmg to them. I think if you get full blown cursed that works too, but half HP...... no thanks.

 

[The Wykydtron]

As for me; i'm currently in the undead burg. I made it, with about 1 point of health, to the Taurus demon. It killed me. I have no idea how you fight it and i'm not going to get the chance to learn without first going all the way back to the bonfire (which i'd done about 6 times already) in the burg. That's not a learning process that helps the player learn to fight the boss and tha'ts why placement of checkpoints is critical.

There is a ladder placed right besides the entrance, so that you can kill the crossbowmen on the top.
And a little tip, when you are rolling you are indestructible.

Do you think he knows that's he's supposed to jump off the tower and stab the Tauros Demon in the face?

OH SHIT! Really? Of course! Jump attack off the tower! It was staring me in the face the whole time!

Oh and when they say go below, do they mean New Londo or that swamp area with the water hydra?

Anyway back on topic, currently playing a Thief (first playthrough) who uses a massive two handed sword... Y'know the one you get for killing the crappy merchant in Undead Burg

I killed him in a fit of rage... This game has a weird attitude towards killing innocents

Kill (mostly) innocent merchant, get Humanity and a badass sword

Maybe not the best weapon for my class though, may go back to my spear cuz reach is everything to me in this game

Plus the placement of all the skeleton people between the Bonfire and the Tauros Demon has been etched into my very soul...

Crappy enemy to your immediate right, crossbow guy directly in front, rush the bridge to avoid getting burned, axe guy, sword guy and sword and shield guy in the building backed up by two guys with firebombs...

It continues...

 

[AlternatePFG]

Plus the placement of all the skeleton people between the Bonfire and the Tauros Demon has been etched into my very soul...

Crappy enemy to your immediate right, crossbow guy directly in front, rush the bridge to avoid getting burned, axe guy, sword guy and sword and shield guy in the building backed up by two guys with firebombs...

It was the same for me. It's been that way for me for every area past it as well...

 

[Condiments]

Everything is going very smoothly now for my thief character. Just obtained the laido from blightown and made a tactical retreat to regain souls, and beef up my character. I haven't found the game too difficult, but there have been some insanely pulse pounding moments. To those who haven't made to the depths yet(after capra demon), WATCH OUT FOR THE FROGS THAT SPEW GAS. If you remain too long in the gas you will be instantly killed, and your hp will be halved permanently(until you find curse remover). If this happens to you, focus on finding the curse remover rather than charging forth again. The frogs will continue to curse your character until your character becomes useless. I managed to avoid them, but dealing with them was some of the most intense gaming moments I've had in a long while.

Bosses besides the capra demon haven't been difficult at all. Bell tower gargoyles fell under my golden resin enchanted blade in mere seconds with the help of my sun knight npc companion.

 

[ultrachicken]

Demon's Souls was hard, Dark Souls is just cheap. Why do they throw so many random uber strong guys in the low level areas? Why do the lowliest of enemies still randomly half health me despite me having some strong armor? Why did they put the 2v1 boss fight so early in the game? Why did they make all the servers split so there are far less people to help and it is neigh impossible to tag with a friend? Why don't they give you any idea where ze hell to go and let me know when I am in an are not suitable for my level?

Demon's Souls is a much better game. The fact it was PS3 only is what I attribute to that fact. On PS3, all players were on the same server meaning more potential allies and messages. It was focused on single-player, with the multiplayer as a non-essential bonus.
Dark Souls is a multiplayer game that you almost have to do solo.

None of the "uber strong guys" are mandatory, unless you count bosses. The metal bull, the black knights, the dragon, etc. can and should all be skipped. Basically, if you're getting completely stomped by any enemy, find a different route. It's kind of like the red eye knight in 1-1 in Demon's Souls. I would say that Dark Souls is actually more fair than Demon's Souls, because there are fewer one-hit-kill booby traps that are activated by a contraption that looks exactly like the scenery.

 

[Agarth]

Well, I enjoyed Demons Souls (despite some of the bullshit it pulls off) and it's basically the same game... Just that it's apparently going to be even crueler. How are they going to pull that off? Remove parry riposte? Add more unkillable dragons? Actually I should probably shut up now.

 

[Ruwrak]

Add me to the people who are loving it. I'm farming souls right now. And I got the Drake Sword. Things are going to be fun after I'm done leveling and stacking up on supplies.
It did take me forever to locate the first blacksmith and merchant, though. How I missed those staircases.....
Oh, and I rolled a Thief to start. DAT CRITICAL.
One question: how do I use Heal? I bought the spell, have a talisman, and my faith is 12. I can't figure out how to use/hotkey it.

You need to go attune your magic.
At the bonfire, select atune magic, slot the magic you want, then select the talisman with the right (or left if you're one of those people) with the d-pad and select the magic with up (if you have several.) then press the RB or R1 and tadah. Magic be cast after a long pause.

Maybe it's been answered in the past 7 pages though x3


Back to the topic at hand.

Is Demon Souls hard? ... No. Is it annoyingly obnoxiously killing you when you only pay no mind for a split second? Yes, yes it certainly is. I'm level 46 and I still get killed occasionally in Undead Burg. Don't ask me how though =/

Do the graphics bother me? No, not at all. Do I dislike the invisible men? Yes XD

So if you give embers to a blacksmith you cant get them back, Even if you accidently attack them and they never ever stop attacking so you accidently defend yourself?

WEll then you're outta luck
But if you give embers to one guy the other blacksmiths should also be able to do the upgrading (if my foggy memory serves me correct.)